January Passport Check

Tuesday, January 23rd from 12:30-3:00pm

Location: STEAM room in 5th grade pod

Passport Check is Tuesday, January 23rd. Your child is encouraged to learn all about New Zealand for Special Itinerary. We would love to have you volunteer with us!

All School Read-In on January 26th

Please join students, teachers, staff, and the Puesta del Sol PTA for an All-School Read-IN!

On Friday January 26th, our WHOLE SCHOOL will be getting cozy and reading together. Timing will vary depending on class: please check the Sign-Up Genius for the EXACT TIME each classroom will be reading together.

We need volunteers to read with our students! Please sign up here, and please bring your own reading materials and be prepared to be flexible: many students will have opinions and questions! Pajamas, a cozy blanket, and your favorite stuffed animal are an optional way to get extra cozy with the kids.

For our younger grade students (PK - 2nd), volunteers will be reading picture books in small groups.

In the upper grades (3rd - 5th), volunteers will be sitting with small groups and either reading to them (engaging chapter books recommended!) or reading their own books while keeping the students on task.

Volunteers must have a current BSD background check. These are good for 3 years and can be filled out here. Non-parent caregivers are absolutely welcome! Invite your retired librarian friends! Invite your theater loving cousin!

All volunteers will need to check in at the main office before going to the classroom. Your sign-up time reflects that this may take a few minutes.



Let's celebrate the joy of reading together!

"One School, Many Stories" Displays

Please sign-up to share your family culture with the Puesta del Sol community! The PTA DEI committee is featuring family photos and items from student heritage cultures in our school's display cases. Contributions do not need to represent a particular country and can include items or photos that tell stories about family history, faith, occupation, disability, and other experiences or identities.

Sign-ups are available through the end of the school year: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849ABAA2FA2FEC43-sharing#/

Thank you to all the families that have created beautiful representations of their culture so far!

Contact diversity@puestadelsolpta.org with any questions.

Special Education Community Meet-Ups in 2024!

Having children with special needs at a choice school like Puesta del Sol can be difficult! Puesta del Sol PTA and Principal Danelle are teaming up to foster peer support and provide networking opportunities for our families in the special education program. If you have students with special needs, please join us! Your child does not need to have an established 504 or IEP for you to attend either event.

Save the Date for our Family Meet-Up in February! Our kids will benefit from peer support too! We will meet from 3:45pm-5:00pm in the Teatro at Puesta del Sol on Tuesday, February 13th. Activities and snacks will be provided, more details to be provided soon. To help organize the event, please email specialed@puestadelsolpta.org.

STEM Fair 2024

Puesta del Sol will be having our STEM Fair on April 24th, 2024. STEM Fair is a student-led project-based fair using on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

We had our first information night on January 9th. Thank you to everyone that joined and all the great questions you asked. Come join us for the in-person Information Night on February 13th, at the library. We will have another information night in March.

Learn more about the fair at the Puesta del Sol STEM Fair page. We are looking for STEM Fair Volunteers and STEM parents for some ideas to make the night more fun and engaging for our students.

The Puesta del Sol PTA presents:

A Night in Hollywood Auction Gala!

It is with great excitement we announce the return of our Puesta del Sol PTA Auction Gala. Early bird tickets are on sale now through January 31st. Ticket prices will go up on February 1st.

Join us for a adults-only evening focused on building community while raising money for our school! The gala is a great way to celebrate our community and create lasting memories. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/PuestaGala24.

When: Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 6pm

Where: Seattle Marriott Redmond Hotel, at Redmond Town Center

Theme: A Night In Hollywood Auction Gala

*Puesta del Sol room block available here.

If you would like to help or have any questions, please contact auction@puestadelsolpta.org.

Winter Session started January 2nd!

Sign up now!

Looking for a before or after school program for your student(s)?

Sessions start January 2nd and end the week of March 11th (unless otherwise stated).

Check out our before and after school programs that kicked off in January!

Registration pages are live for the following programs:

Drama Kids (Mondays, 3:45pm - 4:45pm)

The Drama Kids Composite Class is designed to help each child achieve invaluable life skills with a variety of interesting and stimulating drama-based lessons. Students will participate in a wide range of activities including speech, dramatic movement, improvisation, snippets, and brief scripted pieces.

https://puestadelsolpta.org/Article/View/51946

Fiesta Latina (Tuesdays, 8:00am - 8:50am)

Fiesta Latina will help students improve coordination, boost confidence, and gain a deeper understanding of social dancing in the Latin American lifestyle! Students will move to the rhythms and beats of hip hop inspired dances, while practicing their Spanish in a casual, fun and friendly way.

https://puestadelsolpta.org/Article/View/51267

Soccer | GOALS (Tuesdays, 3:45 - 4:50pm)

This is a fun and engaging soccer skills class for players of all age and skill levels.

https://puestadelsolpta.org/Article/View/51389

Flamenco (Wednesdays, 1:25pm - 2:25pm)

Students will learn beautiful dance movements, involving a lot of arm and hand movements, proud posture, lots of fun rhythmical foot stomping, percussion of different kinds of hand clapping to flamenco rhythms, shouts of encouragement as flamenco artists do, a fun singing number with clapping and choreography, and another more involved choreography.

https://puestadelsolpta.org/Page/Programs/Flamenco

Yoga (Thursdays, 8:00am - 8:50am)

Each weekly practice will include deep breathing, sun salutations, a variety of accessible postures, a peaceful meditation and gratitude circle. Kids will learn about the importance of self care and the many benefits of a regular yoga and meditation practice.

https://puestadelsolpta.org/Article/View/51947

Chess Wizards (Fridays, 3:35pm - 4:35pm)

January 19 - April 5, 2024

(Friday morning session being added - stay tuned)

An interactive, discovery-based curriculum inspires students to think ahead, visualize their goals, treat others with respect and to learn from mistakes. Our classes are geared to suit children of all skill levels; from chessling to checkmate artist, students will build upon their knowledge through lessons, tournaments, variation games and more! https://www.chesswizards.com

Sign up to be a PTA Caregiver Coordinator and receive a discounted registration fee for up to one child! Our Caregiver Coordinators support the program their student is registered in by taking attendance (must be present) and helping students. 1-2 Caregiver Volunteers needed per program.

New programs coming to Puesta del Sol!

Have questions or ideas, email us at: edenhancement@puestadelsolpta.org.

International Festival

Do you have great organizational skills?

Are you good at directing children and managing a stage?

Puesta needs TWO CO-CHAIRS for the International Festival in May.

Please consider signing up!

Responsibilities include

• Work with the PTA communications team to develop promo for the event and registration for the various acts
• Create a rehearsal calendar
• Work with Amity Interns for their dance acts, with Sra Rose for Marimba acts and coordinate with Fiesta Latina and Flamenco acts
• Recruit day of event volunteers
• Collaborate with PTA or 5th grade events for concession sales

Work is heaviest Feb/March (coordinating acts) and then the two weeks leading up to the event.

Contact : Events@puestadelsolpta.org if you are interested

Thank You, Volunteers!

Dear Puesta del Sol Community,

Happy New Year!

The PTA Board would like to thank our amazing volunteers for a wonderful Fall. With your help, we have accomplished so much together!

Back in September, we threw a huge welcome back to school Ice Cream Social! So many families not only showed up to have fun and meet each other, but countless volunteers helped with planning, set-up, ice cream distribution, clean-up, and more.

A few weeks later, we turned around and hosted the our first Walkathon in the new school building. Our records show that over 100 fabulous volunteers helped out before and during the event!

In October, in addition to most of our classroom volunteer activities ramping up, we threw another huge party for Pumpkin Bash! So many volunteers helped with trunk or treat, the dance party and donating and selling concessions.

In November, we worked together to raise over $22,000 in our Big Give. Volunteers gave out reminder stickers, collected envelopes, and helped remind parents to turn in their forms.

In December, we threw our first ever Winter Fair. Volunteers helped plan, set-up, clean-up, make sure our vendors had all their needs met, and made sure this event was a resounding success.

Every week, I see volunteers at school helping in the classrooms, checking books in and out during library times, assisting with Before & After school programs, showing up with balls for recess, prepping materials for teachers, showing up for planning meetings, and more. Every month, I see Art Appreciation and Passport volunteers helping to enrich our children's education.

These are just the easy-to-spot volunteers! Kudos as well to all the adults working behind the scenes, from running our website, to our El Sol Editor, to my fellow Board Members, and so many more people. What you do to support our students, families, and staff matters!

Last, but never least, a special thank you to all our teachers and staff who go above and beyond their job descriptions every single day--we see you and we appreciate you!

The dedication and compassion of our community astounds me. I can't wait to see what we will accomplish together the rest of our school year.



With Gratitude,

Holly Ellis-Brown

Puesta del Sol PTA President

President: Holly Ellis-Brown

Treasurer Deposits: Michele Snydsman

Treasurer Payables: Adam Droker

Co-Secretary: Jim Simmons

Co-Secretary: Julie Keeney

Member at Large: Joel Ingraham

VP of Membership: Jodi Sternoff

Director of School Relations: Carla Merkow

Co-Director of Educational Enhancements: Stephanie Parkins

Co-Director of Educational Enhancements: Alice Kim

Co-Director of Educational Enhancements: Jackie Zawalski

Co-Director of Fundraising: Aubra Moore

Co-Director of Fundraising: Dan Welygan

Director of Special Events: Sarah Moon

Director of Communications: Jennifer Green Li

January Principal Coffee - Literacy

Please join Principal Danelle Edwards and Special Guest Amber Anderson from Bellevue School District for coffee on Friday, January 19th between 9:15am and 10:15am.

This month's topic will be on Literacy. Please bring your questions! Coffee and conversation will be provided.

If you have YouTube livestream experience and would like to help get our PTA livestream going again, please email president@puestadelsolpta.org.

Kindergarten/New Family Tours

Starting on January 17th, there will be tours for prospective new families at Puesta del Sol. Visitors are welcome to check-in at the Front Office and tour the building from 12:00-12:30pm on the following dates:

• 2/28/24
• 3/20/24
• 4/17/24
• 5/15/24

For more information, please contact Assistant Principal Acevedo.

2023-2024 BSD Family Calendar

2024-2025 & 2025-2026 BSD Family Calendar

BSD Cultural Calendar

Bus Route Information

Bellevue Family Hub

Mental Health Services

Nutrition Services:

BSD Elementary Lunch Menu Jan. 2024

Technology Support for Students & Families

Be a Bellevue School District Volunteer

Open Transfer and Choice Schools and Programs Application Period

The Open Transfer and Choice Schools and Programs application period for the 2024-2025 academic year takes place from Monday, December 11, 2023, to Friday, January 19, 2024.

The Bellevue School District has partnered with Care Solace to complement districtwide efforts to provide our learning community with access to mental health care and support student well-being. Care Solace is a central hub that connects students, staff and their families to care. At no cost to you, Care Solace will quickly and confidentially find available mental health and substance use providers matched to your needs.

Care Solace helps school districts provide care coordination for every student, staff member, and family member in need. The Care Solace team is always available — including nights, weekends, and holidays — in 200+ languages.

BSD Newsletter

An e-newsletter was sent to BSD staff and families on Thursday, January 11, with the Superintendent’s new year message to families, a look back on 2023 through a year in review, celebrations of innovation at BSD, and more. Read it here: BSD News and Events: January 11, 2024.

BSF Spring for Schools

The Bellevue School Foundation is hosting their annual Spring for Schools event on March 30th, 2024 at The Meydenbauer Center.

Join BSF as we cultivate the next generation with a garden party! Funding raised through Spring for Schools yields critical programming in Bellevue School District. Our annual fundraiser joins community leaders, corporate stakeholders, and philanthropic individuals who are committed to making sure that all 18,000+ students at 28 schools in the District can blossom through programs and enrichment opportunities critical to their growth as students and future leaders of our community.



Join or host a table, get a drink and meal with friends, and stroll through the showcase of student work that our donors support.

National PTA 2023-2024 Multicultural Calendar